A number of weeks in the past, information broke that Sony’s PlayStation 5 wouldn’t debut within the near-term future as has been beforehand rumored. Now, we’re listening to rumors that Microsoft’s next-generation console can be anticipated to tip up within the subsequent three years — with 2020 once more named as a possible date.

This report comes courtesy of Brad Sims at Thurrott.com, who came upon the system is codenamed “Scarlett” — a moniker that seems to not solely apply to the Xbox Subsequent itself, however to a whole household of hypothetical Xbox Subsequent gadgets. This potential household of merchandise is being learn in numerous methods. Ars, for instance, thinks that Scarlett is a “sooner iteration of the Xbox One X,” although relying on the assumptions you make about next-generation design, this in all probability doesn’t preclude a next-generation answer, both, due to the magic of backwards compatibility.

As a result of one assumption being made in the present day, at a elementary stage, is that Sony and Microsoft will decide to retain backwards compatibility with earlier consoles, even when we don’t know if that compatibility will roll out finally or be current from day one. Traditionally, recreation consoles have maintained backwards compatibility both by implementing a whole previous-generation console in (Sony took this route with the PlayStation 2 and early PlayStation three) or by making a software program emulation layer appropriate for working last-generation video games on the fashionable platform. Microsoft, for instance, has gone this route with the Xbox One and its backwards compatibility with the Xbox 360.

The video above showcases how backwards compatibility has improved Xbox 360-era video games by sharply rising decision and in some circumstances, subtly bettering authentic property. The precise particulars range from recreation to recreation, clearly.

However a part of the explanation why firms needed to take these steps is as a result of every new platform technology introduced vital modifications with it. The unique PlayStation ran on a MIPS I R3000 CPU, whereas the PS2 packed a MIPS III chip and the PlayStation three used its personal distinctive Cell Broadband Engine. Except Sony and Microsoft make a sudden pivot to ARM, the PS5 and Xbox Subsequent will each make the most of an x86 CPU — and an x86 CPU that will run pre-existing recreation code extraordinarily properly at that. Some optimization work to make sure that older video games run properly beneath a brand new OS model and could also be required, however on condition that AMD’s cell Jaguar core is on the coronary heart of those consoles, stepping as much as a sooner, extra highly effective CPU ought to yield good outcomes.

Equally, if Sony and Microsoft keep on with an AMD GPU, they need to be capable of look ahead to comparatively easy ports as properly. Once more, it will possibly take some further GPU optimization to take full benefit of a brand new structure, however recreation builders wanting ahead to the next-generation Xbox ought to have the best time they’ve ever had profiting from the capabilities of latest while not having to fret an excessive amount of about optimizing older titles for brand spanking new consoles.

The discuss of a household of Xbox gadgets implies we may nonetheless some gaming peripherals centered on VR and even one thing supposed for cell play. Whereas we haven’t heard any rumors of a cell Xbox product, ever, it’s merely unattainable that Microsoft hasn’t observed Nintendo’s handheld, which is busy setting gross sales information and skyrocketing up the charts. We’d see Microsoft decide to handle the potential of cell on-the-go gaming by persevering with to lean on recreation streaming providers — there’s been chatter of a recreation streaming functionality debuting on Xbox One for the reason that console was unveiled, together with at E3 this yr. After all, with the corporate additionally engaged on quite a few Floor tablets, Microsoft may even strive providing these with recreation controllers and value factors supposed to place them as Xbox extenders, both throughout the present Xbox One ecosystem, or as a part of a future product.